


A Real Family

by larislynn



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Found Family, Good Sibling Jack Kelly, Happy Ending, Reader-Insert, trans reader - Freeform, tw transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28744464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/larislynn/pseuds/larislynn
Summary: Request: "can i please request an imagine where the reader is a trans boy who joins the newsies after running away from his transphobic parents, and one day the delancey brothers are picking on him and jack and the others stand up for him?"
Relationships: Crutchie (Newsies) & Reader, Davey Jacobs & Reader, Jack Kelly & Reader
Kudos: 6





	A Real Family

The air was crisp with the scent of autumn as you left the newsies lodging house, leaves falling to the ground around you. Turning your face to the sky you soaked in the morning sunlight. It was a good enough distraction from the memories this time of year brought up. With a sigh you made your way down the sidewalk, listening to the sounds of the city coming to life. It was mornings like this that made you feel like you could forget your problems.

But in the end, reality always came flooding back in. The path you took towards Weasel’s to buy your papes, led you right past your old street. You always tried to ignore it, as the street was part of the “before”. Before you became a newsie, before you met Jack and the others, and before you had been kicked out. But today you couldn’t resist risking a glace down the narrow roadway. 

Your heart sank in your chest as you saw your father making his way out the front door and you hurried along, hoping he wouldn’t see you. He didn’t seem fazed at all, you realized. Then again, why should he be? He didn’t hesitate to kick you out once you revealed you weren’t his little girl, but his son. So why on Earth would the one year anniversary of your abandonment hurt him at all?

You shuddered as you thought of his words that day. “No daughter of mine will pretend to be something she’s not. If you want to be a boy then get out now.” So you did. You realized one of the few ways to make money was to be a newsie. No one asked about your past at first.

Eventually, however, Jack wondered why you didn’t stay at the lodging house, even though you could afford it. You had been reticent to tell them that you were trans, for fear of rejection from the only family you had left. To this day you still weren’t sure what prompted you to tell Jack that day, but you were glad you did. 

He didn’t push you away, but instead assured you that you were always welcome at the lodging house. Jack reassured you that the newsies were your family, and true family doesn’t abandon you, no matter what. After moving into the lodging house you felt safer and happier than you did in ages. While you still felt hurt from your father’s actions, you knew that he couldn’t hurt you here.

As you hurried along the sidewalk, you noticed your father walking on the other side of the street. He hadn’t yet noticed you, but you didn’t want to take any chances. You had left him in the “before” and wanted him to stay there, thank you very much. 

Ducking into a nearby alley, you began navigating the narrow back roads of Manhattan. It would take you longer to get to the publication center to buy your papes, but at least you wouldn’t have to run into _him_.

Your time as a newsie had given you experience weaving through the back alleys of the city, so you had no trouble finding your way. Smoke clung to the air in these areas, and your lungs burned from the pollution. You hurried along, careful to clutch your bag tighter to your side. It wasn’t as if you carried anything valuable with you, but you couldn’t risk losing your money for today’s papes.

Finally the smoke began to clear and you knew you were nearing the main streets again. Once you stepped foot on the main road you breathed a sigh of relief. The gates of The World were in sight and you could see your friends standing near them. You had made it in time and had done so without running into your past.

“There he is,” you heard Jack say to the other newsies. “We was getting worried when youse didn’t show up.”

You grinned. “Nothin’ to worry about, I had to take a different route today is all.”

“Why’s that?” Davey questioned as your group made your way to the selling window.

Pausing for a moment, you debated telling him. Eventually you decided to. “I saw him,” you confessed under your breath. “My dad. He was on his way to work, and I knew I had to avoid him.”

Crutchie nodded, “It’s today, isn’t it?”  
  


You sighed and shook your head yes. When the others looked confused, you explained. “He kicked me out one year ago today. I just couldn’t see him, not today.”

Davey nodded and gave you a reassuring smile. “It’s alright, besides you’ve got us now.”

You thanked him as you went to buy your papes. “I’ll take 20 today.” 

Oscar Delancey stood at the cart, his gaze levelling on you. Rolling his eyes, he called over to his brother, “20 papes for the girlsie.” 

Your hand balled into a fist at your side. Tension built up in your chest as you tried to ignore his words. “You know that’s not true Oscar,” you answered coolly. 

“Yes, it is,” he replied with a malicious smirk. “We all knows it.”

Your chest tightened as you moved to punch that grin right of his face. He staggered backwards as your fist made contact with his head, cursing under his breath. Instead of fighting back like you had hoped he would, he simply laughed. “I’m not fighting a girlsie.” 

Jack shook his head, “Why, are you scared that _he’ll_ beat you? How about you fight me instead?” The words had barely left his mouth when his fist flew forward, mankind direct contact with the black eye already forming on Oscar’s face.

“If either of youse even thinks ‘bout saying something like that again, you’ll regret it,” Jack said, venom laced in his voice as he glared at the brothers. 

With shaking hands Morris handed you your papes and you walked away from the cart. Your heart hammered in your chest and you took a deep breath of air. 

Davey came to your side and placed a hand on your shoulder. “Are you alright?”

You nodded weakly, trying to collect yourself. It wasn’t that you were upset, you were enraged. After you were kicked out you vowed to never let anyone treat you like that again and you kept that promise.

“Hey, what he said doesn’t matter,” Jack said, joining you. “You know the Delanceys ain’t exactly the greatest people out there, so how they acted doesn’t mean anything.”

“Thanks Jack,” you said. “I just couldn’t let it go, not today.”

He nodded in understanding. “Well we’s your family, and I’m not gonna let my brother go into a fight on his own. So if either of them, or anyone, gives you trouble, let me know. I knows you can fight your own battles, but I want to be there for ya’.”  
  


The others answered in agreement and you smiled. Things may not be perfect, but your family would always be there for you, and that’s what truly mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven't written anything in like a week, things have been busy here! In other news, I scored fairly well at my first mock trial competition so yay! As always, kudos and comments are appreciated! Love you all! <3


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